Friday, June 30, 2006

Bob Neill wins, but only just.

The Liberal Democrats underhand tactics in the Bromley and Chislehurst by-election nearly produced a shock result for the seat. Bob Neill held the seat for the Tories by just 700 votes on an extremely low turnout. In his acceptance speech he didn't hold back in his attacks on the Lib Dems saying, "a minority of candidates, principally the Liberal Democrats, have chosen to fight this campaign with the most vigorous and underhand example of cynical personal abuse that I have encountered in 30 years of politics." He then told Lib Dems, "If you sometimes wonder why it is that people in this country are turned off by politics, get a mirror and look at yourselves."

The most astounding thing is that Ming Campbell is trying to play this as if there is no confidence in Cameron. He should take a look at the latest YouGov polls and see the confidence the country has in him. The Liberal Democrats are certainly effective campaigners, but they only succeed by lying through their teeth and taking spin to another level. At the next General Election, when the Lib Dems won't be able to descend on Bromley from every corner of the country, that 700 vote difference will leap back into the many thousands.

In other news, Labour finished fourth in Bromley and the independent beat then in Blaenau Gwent. I expect the BBC will dwell on Bromley though and totally ignore things like this.